The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-09
A SHOT AND A THRUST.
r.xpcri.nc. Of n Confederate Picket-Ins
Frenzy Of Death.

v
Frenzy Of Death.
When we came to throw out plckefs IN
front of our lines on the night after deal
ing the Federal army the hard blow az
second Manassas, we were right among
the dead and wounded. We had won q
gIctory and the bulk OF the Federal army
was making for the Potomac, but there
was n rear guard which fought sullenly
and with a thirst for vengeance, and along
the front of my division the blue coats
were alert and ready for any night attack.
IL was about O'Clock in the evening when
my company was pushed out, and 10 get
the place assigned US we had TO crawl on
our hands and knees for the last 2OO feet.
When finally got settled in place IL was
at the base Of n shade or fruit tree stand
ing alone in an open field. A ball or shell
had struck the trunk of the tree and cut
il in two. and a portion Of the top lay on
the ground The Federal picket, as |
presently ascertained, was about hity
steps distant from me and had the cover
of a heap Of rails. did not locate MN
until he fired upon me. do not think ne
knew Of my presence, but rather mis-
trusted il and blazed away to draw me
out
There were dead aud wounded all about
the tree | had crept over two dead
bodies. and two wounded men had begged
me for water, and, although the evening
was very dusky, | could count at least ten
bodies on my side of the tree had come
out with full canteen, knowing that the
front was covered with wounded. close
10 me on my right was "a Federal cor
poral belonging TO New York regiment
He told me at the time the number OF his
regiment but | made no note OF IT, lie
was shot in the right leg, midway be
tween the hip and the knee. This hap
pened two hours before dark, ana con
siderably nearer our lines, and he man
aged Ia crawl twenty rods to get To the
shelter Of the tree II was only flesh
wound and could be have been taken
into the lines that night he would have
been fit for duty within thirty days
Some men would have almost walked OIL
with such n hurt rs that, but the poor
fellow seemed knocked all 10 pieces ana
had quite lost his courage. was hoid-
.ng the canteen TO his lips, having raised
his head and PIT n haversack under H.
when the Federal picket fired the shot
The bullet crashed into the head OF the
wounded man, and with a sort OF culver,
he fell back dead
The incident upset me considerably,
and. being under orders not To fire shot
unless the enemy were advancing, |
hugged the ground "a; the foot Of the tree
and remained quiet Two more shots
were fired At me, but they were aimed too
high and went over. had been on duty
about an hour, when the pleadings OF
wounded man about fifty feet 70 nay left
for water determined me TO succor HIM
He knew Of my presence and talked d
rectly TO me, saying that lac was shot IN
both legs and had been lying there seven
or eight hours. left my gun on the
ground and started OIL on my hands ana
knees The corpse OF Federal lay eli.
rectly in my way, and | WAS just making
half circle around il when the supposed
dead man scrambled up, seized his
musket, which lay beside him, ana
whirled on me with sort OF scream.
You see il all came so suddenly
that was confused, and when he came
at me / was still On my hands and Knees
and helpless He held the gun at charge
bayonets" aud made an awful lunge at
me The point Of the bayOnet passed
through the back Of my blouse, and the
lunge pushed me over and the steel went
into the ground almost 70 the muZZle Oh
the gun. was thus pinned to the earth
and the man let 20 Of the musket and
fell across me, uttering a groan Of pain as
he came down.
Ny position was Sucr that | could not
free myself for two u three minutes ana
when did the man was dead for sure.
He had probably been unconscious for
long time before the frenzy Of death
caused him to attack me in the singular
manner he did. So firmly was pinned
to the earth that | had TO skin out oi
my blouse to get free, and It took stout
twist at the butt Of the musket to pull the
bayonet out of the hard baked soil. AN
FIX Rebel in Detroit Free Press.